words on walking

On and off the beaten track in Glencoul and Glendhu

After our out and back trip to Lochstrathy bothy, James and I drove off to Kinbrace to collect The Lovely Fiona from the train halt there. TLF had phoned to say that her journey had been transmogrified into an all-singing, all-dancing train-bus-taxi fandango courtesy of our crumbling publi transport infrastructure. Never mind, at least that gave me time to find a bin to dump my hideously mutilated boots in.

TLF was deposited eventually and we set off for the Crask Inn once again. Another fine evening was enjoyed chez Crask and this time we also got to enjoy a fine dinner cooked by the landlord between him tagging sheep and fetching his wife from Lairg. It was such a good dinner that I’m going to have to tell you about it:

Lentil soup and home baked bread, followed by Venison chops (James had wild salmon) with potatoes, kale, parsnips and celery in a creamy sauce with bramble and apple crumble for dessert. There was absolutely loads of it. It was excellent and it cost us a comically cheap £12.95 each. We very much enjoyed our evening in the company of the landlord and landlady (Mike and Kai, I think) and Moffat John. Listen, if you’re ever up that way you have to go the Crask, it’s wonderful.

Anyway, next morning we set off for Kylescu on the west coast to start our final backpack. The drive took us through some wonderful landscape and we passed Arkle which was asparkle in the morning light.

We parked up beneath the phantasmagorical, cloud-shrouded bulk of Quinag – a mountain that would keep us in its orbit for the next couple of days – and it started to rain. Waterproofs and rucksacks were donned and off we set – me in my trainers, wondering how long I’d have the benefit of dry feet for.

We skirted a loch and followed a very distinct path up towards the Bealach a Bhuirich. This was a novel experience for me as I’ve hardly ever encountered anything resembling a footpath in Scotland; it certainly made the going easier, but these days I find actual paths just a little bit suburban for my tastes. Like the Lake District.

On the way up we passed three chaps who were descending, this seemed a little bizarre given that it wasn’t much after 11am. Anyway, we said hello to each of them as they passed us a hundred yards apart. The last one chose to ignore us. Not being willing to have my existence denied by this Gore-tex clad pipsqueak, I pointed out that I’d said hello. He feigned surprise and gave us a limp response. There’s enough rude people in town, thanks, don’t bring your bad manners out to the hills ( I told you I’m a bit chippy).

Anyway, we continued over the bealach and enjoyed the luxury of following the path as it weaved a serpentine route through the cnoc and lochan terrain with stupendous views across Glen Coul to the Stac of Glencoul and Beinn Leoid beyond. In a slightly surreal moment, we watched a huge RAF transporter plane flying beneath us into Glen Coul, given that we were at around 400m, that was one low flying plane.

We passed a friendly young family and continued on to cross the burn feeding the Eas a Chual Aluinn – apparently the waterfall with the longest drop in Britain, or something like that.

Securing a rocky perch, we stopped for lunch and a wee rest. Unfortunately, when a couple of people came into range of Dougal’s radar, he started barking. He did this once before in Wales. Perhaps he’s just guarding the sandwiches. Anyway, the people in question were very tolerant, which helped, and Dougal was all smiles once they’d been introduced. Shortly after continuing on our way, we soon paused to engage in a Strike a Caspar David Friedrich Pose competition, which James and Reuben won hands down.

Our path wended it’s way towards the head of the glen and we passed this very lovely lochan on the way.

Shortly after we started our descent into the glen, which lies parallel to and south west of Glen Coul, and in a short while the lovely path had petered out. No bother, we squelched down next to a watercourse and were soon hoppity-skipping over the Abhainn an Loch Bhig, which flows down the glen.

The walking was fairly boggy and awkward along the edge of the burn – the Scotland we know and love! It was very lovely too.

We followed the burn and eventually arrived at its mouth where it emerged into Loch Glencoul. The light was beginning to fade as we continued around above the shore of the loch, common seals bobbed around in the shallows, keeping an eye on us and the dugs. We cut across a small headland and soon the lodge and bothy came into view. As we approached, we asked the usual question – would anyone be at home?

A whiff of wood smoke answered our question. James entered the bothy and received what seemed at best a lukewarm reception from the sole inhabitant. this was a bit disappointing. I went in, said hello and got the same impression that the incumbent wasn’t exactly delighted that we’d turned up. Never mind, we had our tents.

We went down to the shore to pitch, agreeing that we’d pop back to the bothy to get warm by the fire, however, reluctant the chap was. Dougal and Reuben found a seal skeleton with lots of bits of delicious tissue still attached and romped around delightedly. Yuk. Soon after the tents were up it was dark and then it started to rain. None of us were arsed about going back to the bothy, so we hunkered down in our tents to cook. Frying venison steaks inside a zipped up tent vestibule probably wouldn’t win us many points from the old H and E gauleiters!

It was a wet and windy old night, but we were cosy in our new bomb-proof tent that isn’t a Terra Nova (boo-hiss!). The rain went off with the dawn and we set about packing up.

A visit to the bothy showed that we’d misjudged the lone inhabitant. His name is Alan and he’d been out walking through the wilds of Scotland since April – seven months! He said he’d hardly seen a soul in weeks and had been looking forward to our company the previous evening. What we’d read as unfriendliness was just a man not used to company being presented with three people and two dogs all at once. Alan was staying at Glencoul bothy for a few days, painstakingly trying to wash and dry some clothes…

We left Alan to his laundry and headed off up Glen Coul, passing the imposing eminence of the Stac of Glencoul on the way up.

We followed the track for a few kilometres up to Loch an Eircill and then launched ourselves up the flank of Beinn Leoid (792m). It was quite a pull up the hill, but we stopped for a fortifying lunch break and the views were plenty compensation for our efforts.

Even Dougal seemed to be appreciating the views, or perhaps he was just hoping to win the days’ Strike a Caspar David Friedrich Pose competition…

It was a bit breezy on the way up, but at least the wind was behind us. It was a real result that we had such good visibility.

Dougal thought the summit was a bit chilly, but the views were splendid!

We were soon hot-footing it down the mountain and TLF agreed to pose for a photoshoot with the lovely Beinn Leoid

There’s a good argument that having dogs when you’re out in the wilds reduces your chances of seeing much wildlife, but Dougal and Reuben managed to scare up two mountain hares and a few ptarmigan in their winter rayment. Watching Dougal coursing a mountain hare with his rucksack on was quite a sight. He was only 25 minutes behind the hare when it came back round. Reuben looked as if he knew that they were onto a loser, but he felt obliged to join in the pursuit for Dougal’s sake.

Eventually we picked up the stalkers’ path marked on the map and it rapidly became a full-blown ATV track, which swooped precipitously down to the floor of the glen.

We were soon walking out along the shore of Loch Gleann Dubh in the gloaming with the Glendhu lodge and bothy in our sights. Again the same question, again the same answer: a whiff of wood smoke.

This time the sole inhabitant really wasn’t that keen on company, especially not the dogs – which is fair enough. Happily the bothy is a biggie with four rooms so we just did our own thing for the evening. A fine bothy and a very pleasant bothy night.

In the morning, we followed the track out to the road and James managed to hitch a lift for the five long miles back to the car within ten minutes. An excellent result at the end of a fine week of backpacking and bothying in Scotland’s far north. Furthermore, I managed to keep my feet dry for three days in trainers and The Arsenal beat Chelsea 5-3 at the Bridge!

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27 responses

A lovely report to finish off the trio. The Crask inn was an amazing place, one I plan to return to as soon a possible. I’ll try and get my posts done, time seems to be short at the moment. Have a cracking time on the Islands this weekend.
btw I have just purchased Reuben a ‘soft shell’ jacket from Ruffwear, keep him snug on the hills.

Yes! Time is short when you have a job. Go on, James, resign then you’ll have loads more time for hills and blogging! What’s that you say? Yes, I suppose you’re right, one does need money after all – especially for keeping one’s adorable pooch toasty and warm in fetching outdoor garments.
Talking of Reuben, I think my sister is on her way to Nottingham to kidnap him even as we speak. Don’t answer the door to anyone called Anne-Marie who looks a bit like me (but is a girl, obviously).
I’ll look forward to reading your accounts of the far north fandango on our return from Scarba. Can’t wait!

Looks absolutely gorgeous, am quite envious. The only time we’ve been right up north to that area was a couple of Augusts ago, and I’m afraid we didn’t last long because of the midges. We ended up going back south to the Cairngorms for the rest of the holiday.
I notice Dougal’s ears are every bit as long as Tilly’s and with that lovely pretty flipped-up tip at the ends too…

We didn’t see a midge all week, Chrissie, at least not until we were back in Glasgow walking Dougal in the park, bizarrely.
I do think Dougal is an exceptionally fine looking lab, there’s a few tumpfy specimens around our neck of the woods.

I would love to give up the job to follow a life of blogging and hills but as well as kit for the dog I do like to eat food and sleep in a warm hoose. Corrina is not as obliging as TLF on the financial front, regrettably. I think she would frequently say, “get a bloody job” to me each morning when she gets up.
Have fun on Scarba, I think they caught that guy on the island in the end? Or at least it stopped making headline news after a couple of days.

I do have a job! Oh. No, wait a minute. As you were. Infrequent dalliances in the world of paid employment might cover it. Happily my overheads are low, except for the tasty dinners i’m obliged to cook to keep TLF from yelling ‘Get a proper job!’ at me each morning.

That’s the escaped loony who thinks he’s the reincarnation of Thorfinn Skullsplitter, most feared of all Viking beserkers? Nope, he’s definitely still on the loose.

I’ve really enjoyed reading the accounts of all the outings but this was definitely my favourite. Some good route and terrain information and a whole crop of excellent photos – the moody skies really suit the terrain up there and the couple of shots as you dropped to Loch Glencoul are fantastic. Using the bothies seems like a great way to explore the area and it’s interesting to read about the reactions you get when turning up with company and with dogs!

Thanks for your comment. This was my favourite of the three trips and that probably shows in the retelling. Like James, I like a good vast, empty expanse, but I think the old rugged uppy and downy stuff is my favourite especially if it involves a bit of coastline. There’ll definitely be a whole lot more useful route description and maps in James’ posts when he gets round to it!

Great Photos Pete.
Myself and Alex did a Multi day tour with some of our club up that way in deep snow a few years ago.Fantastic area.It was a new year bothy to bothy tour which used to be an annual event .We were quietly chuffed and a bit surprised after walking in knee deep powder for days to arrive back at the cars first in front of our younger team members.
Ps unless it was Jack The Ripper blocking the doorway I,d have been in that bothy.Once spent a New year in a bothy with a rowdy group of guys.Turned out one of them had stabbed a policeman back in Glasgow because he,d thought he was a thief about to steal his motorbike chained outside his house.An Interesting night! Can,t beat a coal fire though.You must love camping.

I do love camping Bob, it wasn’t any potential psychopathic behaviour I was worried about, it was more the fear of being bored to death by a tedious curmudgeon! Turns out the guy was a really decent, friendly sort so we should have been keeping him company by the fire. The bloke at Glendhu was a different matter – a total ballache know-it-all (a bit like me – this bothy ain’t big enough for the both of us!)

Excellent stuff Pete. I just act daft when faced with anti social bampots like that in a bothy and talk away to them as normal until they bugger off to another room 🙂 .It`s only ever happened on the odd occasion though.
Great pair of bothies there.Have spent Hogmonay in each of them within the last ten years.I well remember the snowy epic that Bob refers to above as we averaged under one mile an hour due to the snow going from Glendhu to Glencoul.Also visited Ben Leoid on New Years Day a while back 🙂

Thanks for your generous appraisal, as ever. I’m a bit of a Victor Meldrew and I can’t abide people being rude like that. It’s either take it or take it on. Mind you if he’d been 7 feet tall and built like an outhouse i might have let it pass…

Pete -Very best of luck on Islay? The Crask Inn is one of the best places in the world. Once turned up as part of an endurance bike race and they had trays of food ready and just asked for a single price payment. Do they still have the Collie dog – we were there when it was a pup? I am getting my bike re engineered at the moment to take wider tyres and then we are off riding to Hamburg. No where to stay at the moment – we are no fixed abode – which is not nice at all.

Hello Warren, welcome home! Though being homeless sounds a bit tough. It was lovely to meet Jez, Tink and their kids, such excellent folk.
The collie is still at the Crask – well there’s a few of them now including an old timer called Ken.
Have a great time on your Hamburg trip. Are you riding in the Hamburg area or do you mean that you’re actually riding to Hamburg. Most people you wouldn’t actually need to ask this question!

Hello Andy, t’was an excellent trip indeed. I likee the look of Quinag very much indeedy. I’ll have to get back there in the not too distant; a winter trip methinks.
We were looking across the Gulf of Corryvreckan from Scarba yesterday with a grandstand view of the west coast of Jura in perfect conditions. The view tugged at my heart, so it did – you’re in for a memorable trip, mr Jones

Amazing write up, not had the pleasure of heading out that way before, but the photos and quality of writing have intrigued me. Thanks for such a great post, glad to hear Reuben had some doggy company for once!

Hello Gareth, thanks for your comment. Yes, I think Reuben was glad to have Dougal to curl up with and to carry his food when his rucksack chaffed him. It was my first visit to the area and I’m keen to get back.

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Peter Edwards grew up in Sussex and nurtured a love of walking amid the ‘blunt, bow-headed, whale-backed’ hills of the South Downs. He has undertaken numerous walking and cycling expeditions in Europe and beyond and is particularly drawn to wild and remote landscapes. Peter moved to Scotland in 2006.